Israel’s cabinet approved first Ambassador to Somaliland

The government of Israel has approved a series of new diplomatic appointments, including the naming of its first-ever ambassador to Somaliland. The appointments, endorsed unanimously by the cabinet, were put forward by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and include postings in Southeast Asia as well as Africa.

Michael Lotem, currently serving as Israel’s economic ambassador-at-large for Africa, has been appointed ambassador to Somaliland. Lotem will operate without a permanent residence in the territory.

The unanimous approval of Lotem as the first non-resident ambassador to Somaliland follows a series of developments. In December, Israel became the first United Nations member state to recognize Somaliland as an “independent state.” This was followed by Israel officially designating Lotem as its inaugural ambassador to Somaliland. This step represents a historic first, as no other country has both recognized Somaliland’s sovereignty and established formal diplomatic representation. Lotem, who has previously served in multiple ambassadorial roles, is expected to help establish long-term diplomatic engagement between the two sides.

The move has been strongly opposed by Somalia, which views it as an “infringement on its territorial unity.” Somali authorities argue that the recognition “violates international norms” and contradicts positions held by bodies such as the United Nations and the African Union, both of which consider Somalia a single sovereign state. Mogadishu reiterated its stance that Somaliland remains an integral part of Somalia and rejected any external attempts to legitimize its separation.

Meanwhile, Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, welcomed Israel’s recognition as a significant diplomatic breakthrough and expressed hope that other countries might follow suit. Despite international sensitivities surrounding the timing, particularly amid criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, Somaliland leaders have defended the decision and pursued closer ties, including economic and strategic cooperation. There have also been discussions about possible military collaboration and infrastructure development in areas like Berbera.

Soon after reports of the ambassador emerged, foreign ministers from several countries across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia issued a joint statement criticizing Israel’s decision to appoint a diplomatic representative to Somaliland, arguing that it infringes on Somalia’s sovereignty and could destabilize the region. Foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Kuwait, and Somalia rejected the move, emphasizing their opposition to unilateral actions that threaten national unity. They dismissed Somaliland’s status, describing the Israeli step as a clear “breach of Somalia’s territorial integrity,” and “reaffirmed” their recognition of Somalia’s federal government as the legitimate authority representing its people. The ministers also cautioned that such actions risk creating harmful precedents and could further disrupt stability in the already fragile Horn of Africa.

Some other multilateral organizations, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the African Union, have also condemned the move. The African Union criticized Israel’s decision, warning that steps toward recognizing the region could “threaten Somalia’s territorial integrity” and create instability. The Union stressed that it does not acknowledge Somaliland as an independent state and stated that any one-sided recognition would have no legal validity under international norms.

The unanimous approval of Lotem by Israel’s cabinet, however, signals Tel Aviv’s commitment to advancing its relationship with Somaliland at a moment when Tel Aviv is facing mounting international pressure over its conduct in the war in Gaza. By keeping the engagement relatively discreet, Israel appears to be balancing its strategic interests in the Horn of Africa with the need to manage global scrutiny. For Somaliland, which has spent more than three decades seeking formal international recognition, any form of engagement with Israel represents a potentially significant diplomatic breakthrough. The partnership offers Somaliland an opportunity to strengthen its international visibility, and gradually position itself as a legitimate actor in the region, even in the absence of widespread formal recognition.